Aug 1, 2010

CURTISS MALDOON - CURTISS MALDOON (PURPLE 1971) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve + 4 bonus




Curtiss Maldoon (Dave Curtiss, Clive Maldoon (real name: Skinner)) is a singer-songwriter duo from England.They first began working together in the band Bodast in 1968 which also featured Steve Howe (Yes, Asia, GTR) on guitar and Bobby Woodman Clarke on drums. They recorded one album produced by Keith West whom Howe had worked with in U.K. psych band Tomorrow (known for their hit 'My White Bicycle') but it remained unreleased until it came out in truncated and remixed form in 1982 as 'The Lost Bodast Tapes'. A full re-issue featuring the original 1969 mixes came out under the title 'Spectral Nether Street' on the RPM label in the 1990s. Although not very active on the live circuit as they preferred to spend their time writing and rehearsing, Bodast played a legendary show called the Pop Prom in 1968 where they were on the bill with the Who and acted as Chuck Berry's back-up band for the night. Curtiss Maldoon were on Purple Records, the label started by Deep Purple. Their connection to Deep Purple came out of Dave Curtiss short-lived involvement with an early incarnation of the band known as 'Roundabout' where Curtiss was the vocalist (and Bobby Woodman Clarke was the drummer). No recordings have come to light of this line-up. Dave Curtiss (under the name Dave Curtis and the Tremors) recorded several 'beat' singles in the mid 60s for various labels.
Madonna's "Ray of Light" is based on the duo's track "Sepheryn," although beyond the first verse, the comparisons are loose...
Here

3 comments:

Dave Heasman said...

I recall seeing these guys at the Roundhouse in 1971. "Man from Afghanistan" sticks in the mind for all the right reasons.It was on the hippy trail then - nobody got killed.

Anonymous said...

thanks - steve.

doughboy said...

I came to this via "Ray of Light". Glad I did. Incredible album and I can't stop listening to "Sepheryn". I don't agree that comparisons are loose after the first verse. Especially when later in the song one of the lyrics refers to a ray of light.